What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds /
Material type: TextPublisher: New York : Penguin Press, 2023Description: xvi, 333 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cmContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9780593298886
- 0593298888
- 598.9/7 23/eng/20230206
Item type | Current library | Home library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Loan | Coeur d'Alene Library Adult Nonfiction | Coeur d'Alene Library | Book | 598.9 ACKERMA (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 50610024097953 | |||
Standard Loan | Hayden Library Adult Nonfiction | Hayden Library | Book | 598.97/ACKERMA (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Checked out | 06/07/2024 | 50610024013448 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
An instant New York Times bestseller!
A New York Times Notable Book of 2023
Named a Best Book of 2023 by Publishers Weekly
From the author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way , a brilliant scientific investigation into owls--the most elusive of birds--and why they exert such a hold on human imagination
With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Some two hundred sixty species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active at night. Though human fascination with owls goes back centuries, scientists have only recently begun to understand the complex nature of these extraordinary birds.
In What an Owl Knows , Jennifer Ackerman joins scientists in the field and explores how researchers are using modern technology and tools to learn how owls communicate, hunt, court, mate, raise their young, and move about from season to season. Ackerman brings this research alive with her own personal field observations; the result is an awe-inspiring exploration of owls across the globe and through human history, and a spellbinding account of the world's most enigmatic group of birds.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific exploration of owls, the most elusive group of birds, and an investigation into why these remarkable and yet mysterious animals exert such a hold on human imagination. For centuries, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented over 30,000 years ago, in the Chauvet cave paintings in southern France, and our enduring awareness and curiosity of their forward gaze and nearly silent flight has cemented the owl as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, foresight and intuition. But what, really, does an owl know? Though our infatuation goes back centuries, scientists have only recently begun to study these birds in great detail. While more than 270 species exist today, and reside on every continent except Antarctica, owls are far more difficult to find and study than other birds - because while not only cryptic and perfectly camouflaged, owls are most active in the dark of night. Joining scientists on this maddening and elusive treasure hunt, Jennifer Ackerman brings alive the rich biological history of these animals and reveals the remarkable scientific discoveries into their brains and behavior. She explores how, with the modern technology and tools, researchers now know that owls talk all night long - without opening their bills. That that their hoots follow a series of complex rules, allowing them to express needs and desires. That owls duet. They migrate. They use tools. They hoard their prey. Some live in underground burrows, some dine on scorpions. Ackerman brings this research alive with her own personal field observations about owls, and dives deep too into why this bird endlessly inspires and beguiles us. WHAT AN OWL KNOWS is an awe-inspiring and spellbinding journey across the globe and through human history, and a dazzling account of the astonishing health, hunting skills, communication, and sensory prowess that distinguishes the owl from nearly all other birds. An extraordinary glimpse into the mind of these brilliant animals, WHAT AN OWLS KNOWS pulls back the curtain on the the hidden and still undiscovered realities of our shared world"--
Excerpt provided by Syndetics
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
In science writer Ackerman's latest birding deep dive, after The Bird Way, she shares the nuances of all things owl. Through her exploration of this worldwide parliament and spending time with owl researchers and their projects, Ackerman relates anecdotes derived from research findings, as well as special-interest stories. A variety of breeds including the great gray owl, snowy owl, burrowing owl, and barred owl, to name a few, are featured in discussions of owl breeding, communication, nesting habits, migratory tendencies, intelligence, and adaptability. Additionally, there's an intriguing chapter on how owls are viewed in international cultures, favorably and otherwise. Ackerman concludes with a few tips on how to better share the planet with these majestic birds so they can thrive and so humans may continue to enjoy them for years to come. Keenly narrated by the author, who has a talent for mimicking owl vocalizations, thereby enabling listeners to better identify owl calls in the wild. VERDICT Admirers of Ackerman's previous birding books and fans of our feathered friends will relish this foray into the secretive lives of owls. This is an easy listen that gains strength as it progresses, without technical jargon bogging it down.--Kym GoeringPublishers Weekly Review
In this masterful survey, nature writer Ackerman (The Bird Way) explores the physiology and behavior of owls. She provides an overview of owls' intelligence, evolution, mating strategies, nest-building abilities, and communication skills, relating how variations in owl calls allow the birds to express "their needs and desires" and convey "highly specific information about their individual identity, and their sex, size, weight, and state of mind." Describing academic studies that illuminate the surprising social complexity of the nocturnal predators, Ackerman writes that nestling barn owls will altruistically share food with weaker siblings, and that screech owls sometimes engage in cannibalism, killing and eating fellow fledglings. The author highlights the heterogeneity of owl species, noting that they're found on every continent but Antarctica and that while the Eurasian eagle owl is big enough to prey on baby deer, the tiny elf owl is only "about the size of a small pine cone." There's fascinating trivia on every page (owls perform "sophisticated mathematical computations" to pinpoint prey by sound, and some owl attacks on humans may be attempts to play), making for a revelatory glimpse into the lives of the "enigmatic" raptors. Bird lovers will be enthralled. Photos. (June)Booklist Review
Always eloquent and engaging, science writer Ackerman (The Bird Way, 2020) turns her attention to owls, those mysterious, nocturnal birds that everyone can recognize but few really know. Due to their cryptic plumage and nighttime habits, owls can be difficult to study, but new technologies and approaches have allowed researchers to discover their intimate lives. In this captivating survey of what makes an owl an owl and how different species "owl" in disparate ways, Ackerman delves into the biology and natural history of owls around the globe. She joins field scientists as they study owl adaptations; learn the vocabulary of hooting, chittering, and other owl vocalizations; observe courtship and chick rearing; and determine why some owls migrate, some stay put, and some join together in enormous roosts. One fascinating chapter delves into how much we've learned from captive, mostly rehabilitated, birds, while another answers the question of whether owls are truly wise. Ackerman's latest vivid and compelling narrative is enlivened by her own passion for owls and her excitement over discoveries in the wild that show that, for humans, owls continue to be full of surprises.Kirkus Book Review
The award-winning science writer dives into the mysterious world of owls. Following The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, Ackerman turns her attention to owls, which continue to captivate and inspire us--even though there is much we have yet to learn about these majestic creatures. Owls, she writes, are "powerful symbols" in many cultures, frequently depicted in literature and art. "Owls are hard to study in the wild for some of the same reasons we love them," writes the author. "They're quiet, wary, secretive, and often elusive." Ackerman shares recent discoveries by researchers using new tools and technologies as well as her personal observations from the field. For example, scientists once thought owls did not scavenge, but "camera traps have caught owls helping themselves vulturelike to carrion of all kinds." While owls are aggressive defenders of their young, the extent to which they protect their nests is impressive. Researchers have observed great horned owls throwing themselves to the ground, feigning an injury known as a "broken wing display" in order to distract would-be predators. In studying owl communication, scientists have found that some "owlets begin vocalizing in the egg, even before they hatch." Given that owls are primarily nocturnal, observing their migratory patterns has also proved challenging. However, high-tech tracking devices have allowed us to follow the owls for vast distances, yielding surprising insights. "Perhaps strangest of all," writes Ackerman, "some Snowy Owls actually move north in the winter." Ackerman also discusses the dangers owls are facing due to natural disasters and human activity, including wildfires, logging, and the widespread use of rodenticides. This book, like Ackerman's others, is well written and researched, and the author offers sound advice from experts regarding what individuals can do to help save owls. Fascinating food for thought for owl seekers and sure to please any lover of immersive treks into the lives of birds. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.Author notes provided by Syndetics
Jennifer Ackerman has been writing about science and nature for more than three decades. Her previous book, The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think , was a finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. Her New York Times bestselling book, The Genius of Birds , has been translated into twenty-five languages and was named one of the best nonfiction books of 2016 by The Wall Street Journal , a Best Science Book by NPR's Science Friday , and a Nature Book of the Year by The Sunday Times . Her other books include Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast , Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body , and Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity . Ackerman's articles and essays have appeared in National Geographic , The New York Times Magazine , Scientific American , and many other publications. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship in Nonfiction, a Bunting Fellowship, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.There are no comments on this title.